Chapter 191: The People of Michina
[Leviathan Virus Evolution: 100%. Leviathan Virus Level Up: Lv12.]
[Leviathan Virus Evolution: 100%. Leviathan Virus Level Up: Lv13.]
...
[Leviathan Virus Evolution: 100%. Leviathan Virus Level Up: Lv16.]
[Leviathan Virus Evolution: 100%. Leviathan Virus Level Up: Lv17.]
In less than a day, Lucius's Leviathan had already reached Level 17—far surpassing his expectations. But what was truly alarming was that Phantasm's body could no longer contain it.
Something's wrong. Lucius felt the danger instantly.
As the virus continued evolving, Phantasm's body began breaking down on a cellular level. Its once-astonishing regenerative abilities were no longer functioning. Cracks spread across her form like shattered glass, as if every ounce of healing power had been devoured.
Devoid of restoration, Phantasm's body finally collapsed under Leviathan's power. Every cell, every trace of energy—consumed without a scrap remaining.
Leviathan had devoured Phantasm whole.
Yet Leviathan itself remained unchanged in form—serpentine, dragon-like, with a row of gold-crimson wings sprouting from its back. However, it no longer resembled a microscopic organism; it had grown, now the size of a Zygarde Cell.
Every Leviathan microbe now functioned as one of its cells. The vast, virus-born entity had officially taken form.
Though its body continued to grow under the influence of the Collective Will, that gnawing hunger had finally dissipated.
Staring at his new body, Lucius sighed inwardly.
If I walk out like this, people will probably think I'm some newly discovered Pokémon.
With that thought, he activated his shapeshifting ability and took on Volkner's appearance once again.
For now, Leviathan was simply sated—but as it leveled up, its hunger would only intensify.
It had devoured Phantasm this time. What would it crave next?
Fortunately, all of Phantasm's power had been fully assimilated. At this point, even without drawing on the energy of Deoxys's meteorites, Lucius was strong enough to stand against mythical Pokémon on his own.
He had already turned those two meteorite fragments into Leviathan clones and dispatched them—one to the Whirl Islands, the other to the Sevii Islands.
Islands, unlike the mainland, had slower viral transmission—especially after the Sunburst Island Incident, which led the League to heavily restrict inter-island travel.
The Sevii Islands hadn't experienced any major outbreaks yet, but they were now Team Rocket's last bastion.
After relocating their headquarters back to the region, Rocket's activity surged—prompting increased scrutiny from local law enforcement.
These two Leviathan clones were tasked with seeding the virus there.
And once Lucius lifted the suppression protocols, infection numbers exploded.
In just a week, the number of infected jumped from a hundred thousand to ten million—and it was still climbing.
Ordinarily, such a spike would raise alarms. But the current strain of Leviathan no longer triggered mutations on its own. Under Lucius's control, infection caused neither pain nor illness; in fact, it even improved physical fitness.
No one had any reason to fear it.
Normal social interactions and public gatherings became its most efficient vectors.
By the end of that week, Leviathan had reached Level 34.
To curb its hunger, Lucius was forced to consume several cloned Legendary Pokémon from X-Lab. The payoff? Unfathomable power.
At Level 34, Leviathan had grown to the length of an adult human arm. Its entire body shimmered with metallic sheen, its wings folding into razor-sharp golden spines and unfurling into fiery crimson membranes. Its gaping maw dominated half its form, ringed with jagged fangs, the inside a bottomless abyss.
It was then that Anabel contacted him.
After days spent investigating the ruins of Michina and speaking with the locals, she'd confirmed it: this was the place where the Alpha Pokémon, the Creator, Arceus, had once fallen into slumber.
A long time ago, a massive meteor had plummeted toward the world.
So vast was the meteor that the friction of it burning through the atmosphere alone scorched the land below. If it had struck, it could have pierced the planet's core—if not destroyed it outright, then annihilated all life on the surface.
In that desperate hour, Arceus rose to meet the threat.
With a single strike, Arceus shattered the meteor. Yet not all of it was destroyed—fragments rained down like a meteor shower, bombarding the land and reducing Michina to ruins. What we now call the Michina Ruins.
Arceus was gravely wounded in the process.
Fortunately, it possessed the Source of Life, a miraculous wellspring of power infused with all elemental attributes. With the help of Michina's survivors, who retrieved the scattered fragments of this divine energy, Arceus was able to heal itself.
In gratitude, Arceus drew water, grass, ground, and electricity from the Source and fused them into a jewel—entrusting it to Damos, the then-leader of Michina.
Using the jewel's power, Damos restored vitality to the ravaged land and led his people in rebuilding Michina.
After the restoration was complete, Damos returned the jewel, and their pact was fulfilled.
From that day onward, Arceus became Michina's guardian deity, and Michina its sacred protectorate.
Each time Arceus chose to enter slumber, it would notify the Michina people, entrusting them with monitoring the world. When danger threatened, they would awaken it.
It appeared that in this timeline, Michina had not betrayed Arceus—and so still remained its chosen guardian clan.
They're supposed to awaken Arceus when the time is right—but if now isn't that time, then when is?
The League was mobilizing on an unprecedented scale. Kyogre and Groudon had both awakened. The Hero of Ideals had returned.
If this doesn't count as a crisis, what does?
And yet, based on current intel, Arceus likely was already awake.
The golden cross-ring that had shielded Charles Goodshow and Unova—it matched the luminous halo at Arceus's waist.
No Pokémon could protect an entire region while asleep.
Perhaps that's why Giratina hasn't emerged from the Reverse World.
Now that he understood Arceus's condition in this world, Lucius made his decision.
He ordered the staff to prepare a jet and took Anabel and Brandon with him—bound for Unova.
This time, he would not travel in secret.
He would arrive as a member of the Elite Four.
Word of "Volkner's" impending visit had already reached the Unova officials. Staff were waiting at the airport to greet him.
Seeing their warm reception, Lucius realized: Charles Goodshow hadn't yet turned the lower ranks of the League against Hive.
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